Charles e



(No Model.)

0. E. SGRIBNER. APPARATUS FOR TELEPHONE SWITGHBOARDS. No. 584,414.

Patented June 15,1897.

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IN VENTUR CA/6 71653. Sari/6 O WITNESSES NITE STATES PATENT Trier.

CHARLES E. SCRIBNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE IVESTERNELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR TELEPHONE-SWITCHBOARDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,414, dated June 15,1897. Application filed April 26, 1893. Serial No. 471,977. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: of the rotating vane to retain it; but whenBe it known that I, CHARLES E. SORIBNER, under the control of the othermagnet (the a citizen of the United States, residing atChirestoring-magnet) it is thrown into its altercago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinate position it Will engage with only a par- 55nois, have invented a certain new and useful ticular edge of the vane,holding the latter Improvement in Apparatus for Telephone in position toconceal the indicator-signal. Switchboards, (Case No. 327,) of which thefol- The operating-magnet is included in the sig lowing is a full,clear, concise, and exact denaling-circuit of a telephone-line. The rescription, reference beinghad to the accompastoring-magnet is in a localcircuit which is 60 1o nying drawings,formingapart of this specificlosedonly during the existence of a concation. nection with the line, afterthe manner of My invention relates to apparatus for autheautomatically-restoring annunciators in tomatically exhibiting andresetting the incommon use. The vane may have a suitable dicators ofsignal-receiving annunciators of number or other indication painted uponit, 65 I 5 telephone-switchboards. Its object is to prothe normalposition of the vane being that vide a mechanically-actuated deviceconin which the indication is concealed, the trolled by means ofelectromagnets for exother face of the vane only being visible tohibiting or withdrawing the indicator of the the attendant. WVhen theoperating-magannunciator. net is traversed by signaling-current, it at-7o IIeretofore annunciators have been protracts the armature controllingthe retainvided with shutters adapted to be actuated ing-catch andreleases the vane. The latter by gravity when released by means of aconbeing thus freed rotates slowly, carried by trolling electromagnet,and in some instances its friction upon the shaft, until it hasexeauXiliary electromagnets have been provided outed a half-revolution,when it is again en- 7 5 to reset or restore the indicators to theirnorgaged by the catch, the latter having remal positions through themedium of suitable turned to its normal position by the disconlevers orother devices. tinuance of the signaling-current. The vane In myinvention I have aimed to provide is thus brought into and retained inposition an annunciator having an indicator adapted to disclose theindication upon it. It re- 80 to be actuated and restored by mechanicalmains in this position until the operator of power, the operationthereof being controlled fects the desired connection with the line. byelectromagnets. By this arrangement When this is done, the normally openlocal the necessity for light and delicately-balcircuit is closed,energizing the restoring anced moving parts as heretofore employedmagnet of the annunciator, and the latter 85 3 5 is avoided andreliability of action is insured, attracts the armature and againreleases the since a sufficient power to move a considervane, permittingit to execute a further halfable weight of mechanism may readily berevolution, after which it is again engaged controlled by comparativelysmall and feeble by the catch and retained in position toconelectromagnets. ceal the indication. o In one form of my improvedannunciator My invention is illustrated in the accom- I employ acontinuously-rotating shaft carpanying drawings and may be more fullyrying a vane movable upon the shaft with described in connectiontherewith. considerable friction, in combination with In the drawings,Figure 1 is a perspective e'lectromagnets and a catch controlled there-View of two of my improved annunciators 95 5 by normally engaging withthe vane and remounted upon a common supporting-plate taining itimmovable. The catch is of such and connected withacommon revolvingshaft. form in relation to the portions of the vane Fig. 2 is alongitudinal central sectional view with which it is adapted to engagethat when of a single annunciator. Fig. 3 is a diagram in one of itspositions, as influenced by one showing my improved annunciator incombi- [00 of the magnets, which I shall term the opernation with thecircuits and switching mechating-mag11et,itwill engage with either edgeanism of a telephone-exchange system.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the annunciator shown therein comprises twotubnlarelectromagnets a and 1), arranged in axial alinement with theirpoles facing each other. Between the opposed poles is suspended anarmature c, pivoted upon trunnions c 0 carried by a bracket d, securedto the shells of the two tubular magnets, which also serves as the meansof attachment between the two magnets. A light spring (1 is fixed at oneend to the shell of magnet b and acts upon an arm carried by armature cto maintain the armature normally in a position intermediate between thetwo poles. The magnet 11 is fixed at its closed end to a plate 6, whichserves as the common supportingplate of several annunciators. Upon theface of the plate 6 are provided bearings ff f, in which is journaled ashaft g, carrying a pulley g at one extremity, by which power may betransmitted to it. Upon the shaft 9 is placed, in front of eachannunciator, a vane h, within the bearing of which the shaft ispermitted to rotate with considerable friction. In one edge of the vaneh a rectangular notch h is out. In the other edge a notch h of peculiarshape is formed, having lugs or extensions 7L3. The armature c carriesan arm 0 which extends forward and terminates in a catch 0 This catch isprovided with a downward extension 0 which engages with the bottom ofthe notch h when the armature is in its normal position, unattracted byeither magnet. It has also two lateral extensions o which are adjustedto engage with the lugs h upon the vane 72 when the armature isattracted by the magnet band the catch is in its uppermost position. Theshaft g is maintained in continuous slow rotation and tends to rotatewith it the vanes h of the different ann unciators. WVhen the magnet Z)is energized, itattracts the armature c and lifts the extension 0 of thecatch 0 out of engagement with the vane, releasing the latter andpermitting it to revolve with the shaft g. The vane continues to revolveuntil it has executed a complete half-revolution. Before the expirationof the time required in reaching this position the signalingcurrent willhave ceased and the magnet 11 will be no longer energized. The catch 0will thus have returned to its normal position and the lugs 7L3 willcome into engagement with the lateral extensions 0 of the catch 0whereby the further rotation of the shutter will be prevented. Thedistinctive number of the annunciator is thus exposed upon the face ofthe vane, as shown in the annunciator at the right. NVhen now the magneta is energized, the armature c is drawn in the opposite direction,lowering the catch 0 until the lateral extensions 0 thereof aredisengaged from the lugs 71 permitting the vane h to continue itsrevolution. When it has rotated through another half-revolution, thebottom of the notch h again comes against the extension 0 of the catch,the latter being now drawn to its lowest position by the attraction ofmagnet a. The vane is thus again prevented from further rotation, andalthough the magnetization of magnet to ceases and the armature is nolonger attracted the catch 0 rises only to a distance insufficient tobecome disengaged from the vane, whereby the latter is held until themagnet Z2 is again energized. The indicator or vane of the annunciatoris thus both actuated and restored by mechanical power, as distinguishedfrom the electromagnetic force hitherto employed, the application of thepower being determined and controlled by the electromagnets.

In Fig. 3 I have shown two of my improved annunciators connected indifferent line-circuits and located upon multiple switchboards, incombination with local circuits, for effecting the resetting of theannunciators. The usual switching appliances for establishing connectionbetween the different lines are shown in position of looping the twolines to gether for communication.

The substations 1 and 2 of the exchange system are equippedwith theusual telephonic and signaling appliances. The substations are connectedby lin e-circuits z'and 2', respectively, with spring-jacks 7t upon twodifferent sectionsZ and Z of a multiple switchboard, each line beingconnected with one spring-jack upon each section. Each line-circuit alsoincludes the operating-coil Z) of annunciatorm, the annunciators beinglocated upon different switchboards, so as to be under the care ofdifferent attendant operators.

Connection is established between the different lines by means ofloop-plugs n and 17., whose corresponding contact-pieees are unitedthrough conductors 0 and 0. Included in these conductors are callingkeysp and 1), each adapted to loop a calling-generator q into circuit withthe corresponding plug. A telephone set 0 is provided for the operatorand a key 3, whereby the telephone may be connected with or disconnectedfrom the plugcircuit 0 o.

In addition to the line-contacts of the sprin gjacks local contact-springs 7c and are provided upon each jack. The springs 7t and 70 of thespring-jacks of one line constitute the normallyseparated terminals of alocal circuit which includes a source i of current and therestoring-magnet a of the individualannunciator of the same line. Theplugs are provided with contact-rings 11 which cross together the localsprings 70 and k of the spring-jacks into which they are inserted, thuscompleting the local circuits and cansing the restoring-magnets of thecorresponding annunciators to be energized.

In the operation of the system a subscriber for example, subscriber atstation 1-desiring connection with another line rotates hissignaling-generator, thus sending a signaling-current over hisline-circuit to the central office, where it finds circuit through theoperating-magnet of the annunciator, permitting the indication of theannunciator to be dis- ITS played. The operator under whose care theannunciator is placed inserts one connectingplug of a pair into thespring-jack of the line whose annnnciator indicates the signal andreceives the order for the desired connection through the medium of hertelephone set. She then completes the connection between thecalling-line and the line called for by 111- serting the remaining plugof the pair into the spring-jack of the latter line. By the act ofinserting the connecting'plug into the spring jack ofthe calling-linethe local circuit of that line was closed, as described, whereby theindicator-vane of the annunciator was permitted to return to its normalposition, concealing the indication. WVhen upon the completion of theconversation the plugs are removed from the spring-jacks and the linesare thereby disconnected from each other, the annnnciator remains inthis position until another signaling-current traverses it.

Obviously many other forms of signal-receiving annunciator might beconstructed embodying the principle of my invention without departingfrom the essential features of it. Hence I do not limit myself to theform shown; but

I claim, broadly, as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Incombination, in an electric annunciator, an indicator frictionallyconnected with a source of mechanical power, a retainingcatch normallyengaging with said indicator, controlled by an electromagnet,substantially as described.

2. The combination with a continually-rotating shaft, of a vane having africtional bearing thereon, a catch controlled by an electromagnet,normally engaging the vane but adapted to release the vane when themagnet is energized, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a constantly-rotating shaft, of a vane having africtional bearing u pon the shaft, an electromagn et, and a catch controlled by the electromagnet adapted to engage with either edge of thevane to retain it in a fixed position when the magnet is not energized,substantially as described.

4. The combination with a constantly-revolving shaft, of a vanerevolving with friction thereon, two electromagnets, a common armaturetherefor adapted to be moved in one direction by one of the magnets andin the other direction by the other magnet, a catch controlled by thesaid armature adapted to engage with one edge of the vane to retain itimmovable when in one of its extreme positions and to engage with theother edge of the vane when in its other extreme position, whereby thesuccessive magnetization of the two magnets permits the vane to executea complete revolution, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the magnets on and b, of the common armature ctherefor, a catch 0 controlled thereby, the revolving shaft g, the vaneh carried thereon, the catch 0 being adapted to engage with one edge ofthe vane when in one of its extreme positions and with the other edge ofthe vane when in the other of its extreme positions, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination with a continually-moving body, of an indicatorcapable of assuming two different positions, mechanism adapted to causeor permit the indicator to be carried with the moving body from eitherposition to the other position, two electromagnets controlling the saidmechanism, one of the magnets being included in a telephonesignalingcircuit and the other being included in a local circuit adaptedto be closed by the act of establishing connection with the line, one ofthe magnets being adapted to actuate the mechanism to causethe'indicator to be moved from its normal to its alternate position, theother magnet controlling the mechanism to return the indicator to itsnormal position, substantially as described.

7. In combination a continually-operative source of mechanical power, anindicator capable of assuming two positions, mechanism adapted toconnect said indicator with said source of power to move it into one ofsaid positions, and other mechanism adapted to cause its return to theother of said positions, said mechanism being controlled by anelectromagnet, substantially as described.

8. In combination a continuously-operative source of mechanical power,an indicator having a normal position of concealment and a position ofdisplay,said indicator being adapted to assume said positionssuccessively under the action of said source of power, andelectromagnetically-actuated mechanism controlling the action of saidsource of power upon the indicator to determine the position assumed bythe indicator, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 22d day of March,A. D. 1893.

CHARLES E. SCRIBNER.

Witnesses ELLA EDLER, LUoILE RUSSELL.

